Chapter 9 : To save you.

Serena’s Pov

The forest around us felt like a giant, looming beast, silent and waiting. Baird leaned against the cave wall, his face pale and drawn from the injury he sustained. His breaths were shallow, each one a struggle.

"We can't stay here," he said, his voice rough with pain and determination. "The rogues will find us soon."

I looked at him, fear gripping my heart. "But how can we escape? You're hurt, and I can't shift. I can't protect myself."

Baird's eyes softened, but his resolve didn't waver. "That's why we need to split up. I'll lure them away and buy you time to escape."

"No!" The word burst from my lips louder than I intended. I lowered my voice, desperate. "You can't do this. You're injured. How can you fight them off like this?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he crouched down, using a stick to draw a rough map in the dirt. "Look," he said, pointing to the lines he'd drawn. "Follow the river upstream. When you get to its widest point, there sh